The Cleveland Cavaliers may soon face one of their most difficult roster decisions of this era, and it involves a player who has long been beloved by the fanbase. The smooth-scoring Darius Garland who once symbolized the team’s rebuild could realistically be entering his final season with the franchise.
If the Cavaliers fall short again in the postseason, all signs point to Garland being the odd man out, especially now that Donovan Mitchell is clearly locked in as the team’s top option moving forward. Garland’s role has naturally shifted since Mitchell arrived, but last season made the dynamic even more complicated.
Cleveland went on a remarkable 64-win run during the regular season, only to fall short in the second round once again. It was the kind of postseason failure that puts pressure on an organization to explore serious changes. And in this case, the structure of the roster offers a fairly clear direction. With Mitchell under contract as the centerpiece and Evan Mobley also occupying a large contract, the Cavaliers will likely not have room to keep all of their core players intact.
That means Garland, despite his talent and popularity, is the most logical piece to move if the front office feels compelled to make a change. Garland was an All-Star again this past season, but this would simply be an issue of roster fit.
Garland might be the odd man out in 2026
The ball is simply not in Garland's hands as often as it once was. The Mitchell-Garland pairing was always going to require sacrifice from one side, and Garland has typically been the one asked to adjust.
There is certainly still a world in which Cleveland's formula succeeds and they go deep into the playoffs next season. In that case, it would probably be worth running back this current version of the roster again.
But that would require at least a conference finals appearance, something this current version of the Cavaliers has yet to prove it can deliver. If another early exit occurs, it will not be surprising to see other teams begin circling Garland as a potential trade target, especially with his age, contract, and offensive ceiling all still appealing.
Cleveland fans have come to love Garland’s maturity, demeanor, and commitment. He has grown from a shaky rookie into an All-Star-level contributor, helping guide the Cavs through the post-LeBron era. That's ultimately what makes this situation so delicate, but the writing may already be on the wall. Unless this team takes a leap, this season might quietly be Garland’s last in a Cavaliers uniform.